As a new contractor, what am I worth?

[cluffy]

Provide the evidence???

I'd also welcome some advice on what, if anything, I should take to an interview. Clearly I can't go armed with the latest Visio maps etc I've knocked up for my current employer...

[MrMark]

Whatever you can get away with! - seriously if you become known to the agents as a £200 - £300 @day contractor you'll find it hard to break out of that rate range

Whs. In fact it's not unknown for a smarmy agent (annual £70k) to try and get your rate down so he/she can have a bigger commision for doing bludder-all.

[Ruprect]

I'd also welcome some advice on what, if anything, I should take to an interview. Clearly I can't go armed with the latest Visio maps etc I've knocked up for my current employer...

[cluffy]

I know, I know...

...but please appreciate this will be a big change for me. All my interviews for the last few years have been for internal promotion and I've been free to take in examples of my work. I'd like to know what's expected of contractors, so as to avoid the interviewer resorting to similar body language.

[northernladuk]

I know, I know...

...but please appreciate this will be a big change for me. All my interviews for the last few years have been for internal promotion and I've been free to take in examples of my work. I'd like to know what's expected of contractors, so as to avoid the interviewer resorting to similar body language.

You could try doing a search on the site. We have many questions about new guys and interviews. Try this link for starters. Might be lot of gumpf but you can work on it using info about searching in the Welcome forums..

interview site:forums.contractoruk.com - Google Search

or

do interview site:forums.contractoruk.com in google

[psychocandy]

Must admit I've never noticed this first time contractor = less rate thing.

[v8gaz]

Must admit I've never noticed this first time contractor = less rate thing.

Still on that crappy beginner rate then Psycho?

[MyUserName]

This is my first contract and I simply asked for the lower end of the range i.e. they offered x-y per day and I asked for x and got it. It is still a lot more than I was on and this is only my first contract, I can ask for more next time.

However, when the investment market has bombed and everyone got a rate cut except me, I suspect that it may be because I was on the lowest rate or something. I did not ask any questions!

[The Spartan]

I don't think it's a case of First time contractor = lower rate
I'm sure it's just eagerness to get into the game, once you're in the game then it's time to become a PLAYER!!! Let the dice roll lol

[TheFaQQer]

It is still a lot more than I was on and this is only my first contract, I can ask for more next time.

And therein lies the rub. People say that the first contract is the hardest. They're wrong - it's the second contract that is the hardest.